To Be Happy
by uchisasusakusara
Summary: ONESHOT: Sasuke and Sakura have a conversation over dinner: "What about you?" Sakura put her chopsticks down and propped her chin on her hands. "Are you happy?" Set pre-Sarada! Please read and review!


Sasuke opened his eyes slowly, focusing on his surroundings. It smelled like miso soup, the lights were slightly dimmed, and the sound of a running shower told him Sakura had just gotten back from work. Sitting up, Sasuke stifled a yawn and noticed that she had placed her favorite blue blanket over him. After folding it neatly, he stood up and walked into the kitchen.

It had been his day to make dinner, but he had accidentally fallen asleep, an uncharacteristic move for him but proof that he was indeed in the comforts and safety of his own home. One glance at the un-chopped vegetables and empty rice cooker told Sasuke that Sakura had only started the soup and was waiting to finish the rest of dinner after she took her shower.

_She should've woken me up_, he thought.

Pulling a knife out of the knife block, Sasuke went to work chopping up the rest of the vegetables and finishing the rest of the cooking. As he was about to grab the oil to start sautéing some onions, the shower turned off and he heard the sound of the shower curtain opening.

"Are you awake, Sasuke?" Sakura's muffled voice traveled from the bathroom.

"Yeah."

The next few minutes were quiet, the only sounds heard were the sizzling of the oil in the pan and Sasuke's footsteps as he paced around the kitchen preparing the meal. As he turned to the stove to plate up the dishes, Sasuke heard the bathroom door click and his wife making her way into the kitchen.

"Tadaima, thanks for making dinner," Sakura said as she wrapped her arms around Sasuke's middle. The sweet smell of vanilla shampoo suddenly overpowered the savory aroma of the food, and Sasuke relaxed into her embrace.

"Okaeri. It's my turn today; did you forget?" He cracked a small smile, knowing full well that she had not forgotten.

"Mou, you looked so cute while you were sleeping, I didn't want to disturb you." The way she dragged on her syllables hinted at the slightest bit of a pout, and Sasuke's smile grew.

_She never changes_.

The rice cooker beeped and Sakura reluctantly let go of Sasuke. She opened the cabinet next to them and took out two bowls to scoop out their rice. Once the vegetables were done, Sasuke plated them, placed the pan in the sink and walked into their dining room.

"Could you get the soup?" He asked Sakura, "I'll set the table."

She hummed at the fact that they were able to live in this kind of peace. Being home with the one she loved the most, cooking dinner together, and finally sharing their meal: these were all things that only a few years ago she could only dream about.

"What are you thinking about?"

Sasuke always knew when she zoned out. She had no idea how he did that, but every time she found herself in her thoughts, he always noticed.

"I'm really happy," Sakura replied softly, ladling the soup into two bowls.

"Did something good happen today?"

"Yes. Well, it's not just today. Lately, it's been every day."

"Hm?"

Sakura made her way back to the dining room and gently set Sasuke's soup in front of him. He hn'ed in thanks and tilted his head the tiniest amount, prompting her to carry on.

"You know, when you left after the end of the war, I never would've thought that we could do this. As a couple I mean. As in, I would have loved to be able to share a space and share meals with you and of course get married, but it just feels so incredible that it's real. When I think about you being here after I get home from work and us sharing our stories together, no matter how mundane, I just feel really happy." She gave him a smile that was so reminiscent of their genin days that he couldn't help the corners of his mouth turning up as well.

"I see. I'm glad that you're happy."

"What about you?" Sakura put her chopsticks down and propped her chin on her hands. "Are you happy?"

"I don't think I really knew what real happiness was for the longest time. When I was a child, I was restless when Itachi wouldn't spend time with me and when my father wouldn't acknowledge my achievements. I remember my mom comforting me day after day throughout my disappointment, and when I spent time with her, I felt a little bit better; maybe even happier, you could say?"

Sasuke paused, his expression slightly pained.

"Of course the time that we had as a family ended in that way, and I wiped the concept of happiness from my mind. Why would I need to feel happy if being happy didn't help me accomplish my goals? Even after the war was over and the dust started to settle down, being happy wasn't ever on the list of things I wanted."

"You didn't answer my question, Sasuke," Sakura prompted.

"I wasn't finished yet," Sasuke replied slightly amusedly. He knew what she wanted him to say, and he hoped she knew what his answer would be. "Being happy may not have been anything that I was trying to achieve, but I believe it was something that made its way into my life anyways. Thinking back on it, the feeling of weight lifting off my chest when I realized Naruto understood my pain was a kind of happiness, was it not? The feeling of the three of us laughing together despite Naruto and I missing an arm each. The feeling when Kakashi, despite complaining about being Hokage every day during the first few months of his term, still pulled that many all-nighters to ensure that I was safe and being treated well. I thought what I felt was relief and contentment, but I think it was the first taste at what it means to be happy that I was surrounded by those who cared about me."

"And you, Sakura, the things I've experienced with you are above all other things. For the first time since my childhood I felt like I had a family, though in a way, different from the bond that Naruto and I share. I cast away what it means to be loved unconditionally and be able to feel the same for another human being, but around you, all those feelings started to come back. You know the answer to your question. Am I happy? Of course. I married you, and it was the best thing I've ever done."

After a brief pause, Sakura's smile grew and eventually, she started laughing. Sasuke didn't anticipate that response from her and was momentarily startled until she held up her hand to stop him from saying anything more.

"You always had a thing for monologues. That was the longest 'yes' I've ever heard from anyone, ever," Sakura said through giggles. Sasuke rolled his eyes and Sakura could have sworn he was even pouting a little.

"I spill my heart out to you and this is the response I get?" Sasuke asked, his voice full of the kind of dry humor that she only occasionally gets from him.

"Gomen, gomen. Thank you for sharing with me. I wish I could come up with something better to say in return but my heart is just so full. Thank you for letting me love you and thank you for loving me back. Every day I spend with you I can see your heart start to mend, and to me, that's the greatest joy that I could ever receive."

If Sasuke didn't know better, he would have thought he was getting a little emotional. Knowing that he didn't need to say anything else, he gave his wife a small smile.

"The food's getting cold, Sakura."

"Hai, hai. Let's eat, Sasuke."

* * *

**AN**: I think the glimpse into the mundanes of a relationship can often show us the most meaningful things. I haven't written in a while, but wanted to explore Sasuke and Sakura's time together before Sarada, while they talk about the past and present. Please leave a review!


End file.
